Gamma Knife – Day of Procedure

To minimize discomfort, the patient is first given something to relax, and then a metal frame is fitted securely around the patient's head. Because the headframe is rigid and fixed in place with a pin, the tumor or lesion can be plotted with exceptional precision using a CT or MRI scan. Three-dimensional planning software is then used to design a treatment that hits the exact contours of the tumor or lesion with an effective dosage of radiation.

The patient is secured in a head holding device on the Gamma Knife treatment table. When the Gamma Knife doors open, moving sectors inside the machine direct the 192 beams of radiation as planned by your physicians. The 192 beams of radiation converge on a single point with an accuracy of within 0.3 millimeters – about the width of a human hair – destroying abnormal tissue without affecting surrounding healthy tissue.

After the procedure, the headframe is removed, and the patient usually can go home and resume normal activities the next day.